Macerated Strawberry Shortcake with Real Whipped Cream

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

Strawberries tossed with sugar and a squeeze of lemon sit until they release their own glossy syrup — no cooking, no cornstarch, no fuss. Spoon them over a warm buttermilk shortcake (or a slab of pound cake if you want it in ten minutes) and pile on cream whipped by hand to the exact softness you like. It's a trattoria-style dessert plate that lives or dies on ripe fruit and cold cream, which is exactly why it works at home.

Ingredients

• 2 lb ripe strawberries, hulled
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 pinch kosher salt
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar (optional)

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 tbsp granulated sugar, plus more for sprinkling
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 3/4 tsp kosher salt
• 8 tbsp cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
• 3/4 cup cold buttermilk, plus 1 tbsp for brushing
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 1 1/2 cups cold heavy cream
• 2 tbsp powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 pinch kosher salt

• 1 loaf store-bought pound cake (in place of biscuits)

Instructions

1. Macerate the fruit first so it has time to work: slice three-quarters of the strawberries about 1/4 inch thick and put them in a bowl. Crush the remaining quarter roughly with a fork or potato masher — this mashed fraction is what gives you real syrup instead of watery juice. Add the sugar, lemon juice, salt, and balsamic if using, stir, and let sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes and up to 3 hours, stirring once or twice. The berries will slump slightly and sit in a glossy red syrup.
2. Heat the oven to 425°F and line a sheet pan with parchment. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, 3 tablespoons sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
3. Add the cold butter cubes and cut them in with your fingertips or a pastry blender until the largest pieces are the size of small peas. Work quickly — visible butter is what makes the shortcakes flaky. If the kitchen is warm, chill the bowl 10 minutes before continuing.
4. Stir the vanilla into the 3/4 cup buttermilk, pour it over the flour mixture, and toss with a fork just until a shaggy dough forms. It should look underhydrated; do not knead it smooth.
5. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured counter, pat into a 6-by-9-inch rectangle, and fold it in thirds like a letter. Pat out and fold once more, then press to an even 1-inch thickness. Cut 6 rounds with a 2 1/2-inch cutter, pressing straight down without twisting, or simply cut 6 squares with a knife to avoid re-rolling scraps.
6. Arrange the shortcakes on the sheet pan with about 2 inches between them. Brush the tops with the remaining tablespoon of buttermilk and sprinkle generously with sugar. Bake 15 to 18 minutes, until risen and deep golden on top. Cool on a rack at least 10 minutes — they should be warm, not oven-hot, when you assemble.
7. While the shortcakes cool, whip the cream: combine the heavy cream, powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt in a chilled bowl and whip by hand with a large whisk or with a mixer on medium speed for 2 to 3 minutes, until it holds a soft peak that flops over on the whisk. Stop early — you can always whip a few more strokes, but you cannot un-whip grainy cream.
8. Split the warm shortcakes horizontally with a serrated knife. Set the bottoms on plates, spoon over the strawberries along with plenty of their syrup, add a heavy spoonful of whipped cream, and set the tops on at an angle. Spoon a little more syrup over the top and serve immediately, while the biscuit is still warm and the cream is cold.
9. Shortcut version: skip steps 2 through 6 and cut the pound cake into 3/4-inch slices. Toast them in a dry skillet over medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes per side until the edges caramelize, then build the same way — syrupy berries, then cream.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

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